


Undead Vampire Skeleton Thing

by Cumberbatch Critter (ivelostmyspectacles)



Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Alcohol, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Drunken Shenanigans, Halloween, Halloween parties, Kissing, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-22 23:31:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,547
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8305450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/Cumberbatch%20Critter
Summary: John's cheeks must have been flushed beneath that face paint, bat tie lopsided as he staggered out of doorway. "Alex?""I'm here." He reached out for his arm again. John twisted it out of his grasp and caught his hand in his own instead. Alex simultaneously flushed and felt cold as the late October air blasted into his face.





	

**Author's Note:**

> My half of an art/fic trade with @opens-up-4-nobody, who was gracious enough to draw me some shameless Houdini and Doyle fanart. The prompt was Lams + Halloween fluff and I just took it and ran. Very far. And very fast.
> 
> I do not own _Hamilton, Jack Skellington, Captain America_ etc etc etc. Thanks for reading!

The Halloween party at Columbia University was one for the ages.

Trust that Alexander Hamilton, with a million other things to be doing, had a hand in planning and kicking off this year's party. Which was, naturally, why it was a party for the ages. And he already had a drink in hand by the time that half past eight had rolled in, chatting with Eliza as they speculated over the bleeding brain in the punch bowl.

"It's corn syrup."

"Maybe it's real blood."

"Alexander, please."

Alex glanced up at the familiar voice, bouncing onto the balls of his feet. His drink was precariously close to slopping over the rim of the orange party cup as he slung his arm around his friend's shoulders. "Aaron Burr!"

"Must you terrify everyone?" Aaron asked, glancing down at him. "Especially our dear Eliza?"

" _Burr_."

"Angelica."

"It's _Halloween_ , Burr!" Alexander staggered a little. "You're supposed to terrify everyone. 'liza's smarter than that anyway. Why aren't you in costume??"

"I didn't say I was going to be in costume."

"It's a _Halloween_ party! You _have_ to be in costume!"

"All I have to have," Aaron said, ducking away from him, "is ID for the party." He picked up the ladle for the punch bowl. It was shaped like a skeleton arm.

Alex was definitely not pouting, though he did finish off his drink to be able to cross his arms. "That's the best way to be a party pooper, Burr."

"Maybe so, but-" Whatever Aaron had been about to continue with, his eyes had darted away over Alex's shoulder as he turned back around. Alex followed his gaze, landed on the arrival of Theodosia as she walked in - in full costume, unlike his fickle friend.

"Now that's the definition of a sexy witch!"

"Herc!"

"S'up?"

"Maybe you should have had a wizard's costume," Alex said back to Aaron.

Aaron gave him a double glance, a little smile tugging at his lips. "I don't need a costume to _charm_ her, Alex." And then, grabbing another glass of punch, weaved off into the body of people bopping and grinding on the dance floor.

"She's got a boyfriend, you know!" Angelica called.

Aaron waved his hand in acknowledgment; Alex laughed too loudly, calling "Go get her, Burr!"

" _Men_!"

"Alex, sorry I'm late. Had trouble with the eyeliner, Mary had to help-"

"John!" Alex spun around again, priming to throw his arms around him. But then he stopped to examine his costume, clapping his hands on either of his shoulders instead. "Jack Skellington, _fantastic_!"

John gave him a slightly lopsided smile; the effect was magnificent. The mock up stitched smile halfway across his face, white make-up smeared everywhere save the black circles smudged around his eyes. He'd been secretive about his costume; Alex figured it was because he hadn't decided, but maybe it was because he knew Alex liked the movie.

"And I see you went with the typical vampire thing." John reached out to touch a speck of blood at the corner of Alex's mouth. "No Captain America or something as equally showy?"

"I have a cape," Alex cheered, taking a step back to grab either side of his cape to wrap around him. "And fangs!" It took a minute to fish them out from the pockets and push them into his mouth. "Bud dids hard do dahlk wif-" He coughed.

"Alex," John chastised.

"Hard to talk with them," Alex continued, stowing them back in his pocket. "Or do anything, really." He looped his arm with John's, turning his face to look at him a little closer. "Are you here for the rest of the night?"

"Until we get blackout drunk again, you mean, and Philip Schuyler has to take us home?" God, those eyes. They were sparkling.

Alex beamed - impossibly - wider. "That was _one_ time!"

John rolled his eyes. "Sure. I'm here for the rest of the night."

" _Great_. Wanna do Jello shots?"

　

 

John's cheeks must have been flushed beneath that face paint, bat tie lopsided as he staggered out of doorway. "Alex?"

"I'm here." He reached out for his arm again. John twisted it out of his grasp and caught his hand in his own instead. Alex simultaneously flushed and felt cold as the late October air blasted into his face. "The clue said the big boulder. Come on, we're playing to win, right?" His smile was only equally matched by the way that John beamed at him in return.

"We always play to win," John replied lowly, with a conspiratorial glance. His fingers seized around Alex's.

"Definitely," Alex agreed.

He didn't have to quite drag John through the yard, but they were both swaying a little. It made the walk a little more difficult, a little more time consuming, but John's hand in his was warm, and Alex was feeling the warmth radiating throughout him. It was a feeling that almost made him weak in the knees. He definitely didn't need that. He was already wobbly enough, product of the booze - another reason he was so warm under the high collar of his cape. Was he _sweating_? God. It was definitely not their first date, he could get right over the puppy love. Take off the rose coloured glasses, Alexander. He chuckled.

"What's funny?"

"Nothin'."

"You were laughing."

"I'm happy."

"Are you?" John looked sideways at him. A piece of hair fell into his face. He impatiently tried to blow it away.

Alex chuckled, pulling John to a stop. "Of course I am." He tucked the strand behind one of John's ears.

"You just always seem to be... moving at ten times my speed."

"Not true! You're just as busy as I am. How many essays did you have to write this weekend?"

"How many did _you_ write?"

Alex brushed the pad of his thumb against a cluster of John's freckles. "I'm happy when I'm with you, John, never doubt that."

"Hm." John clumsily clapped his hand over Alex's.

Oh. He wanted to kiss him. He wanted to kiss him. They weren't exactly in the closet about their relationship but they weren't exactly prone to public displays of affection outside their dorms, either. Their friends knew, and people learned here and there, but John's family was still expecting him to come home with an Ivy League girlfriend, and-

Again John entwined their fingers, dragging Alex's hand away from his face. "We should find that clue."

Right, the scavenger hunt. Playing to win. But staring into John's eyes and Alex felt like he was winning, anyway. "Right. We gotta beat Thomas for sure." He tugged on his hand, gesturing ahead.

"Is he playing?"

"Everyone's playing! Winner gets bragging rights."

"Oh, and we can't have Thomas bragging, right?"

"He brags enough as it is." Alex almost fell to his knees next to the boulder. "We've already found four, it's gotta be close to the end."

"You mean you don't know?" John folded down next to him, fingers searching through the grass. "I thought you planned this."

"I gave them the idea, but I don't have the details. I couldn't play if I did- aha!" Wedged in beneath the giant boulder was the same cardstock that they had been following for the past half hour. He pulled it free with a flourish and flipped it open. "Uhhh, I can't- where's your phone, it's too dark-" He reached over.

A laugh burst forth when Alex's searching fingers got him in the sides. "Hey!" John swatted his hand, breathing out sharply through his nose. "This costume doesn't have pockets, it's in my boot, _chill_."

"No, you chill!"

Alex crowded over into the glow of Lauren's phone, holding the paper aloft, just as John leaned in closer, too. They ended with their shoulders pressed together, as John replied "I'm _already_ chilled, thanks."

He really was shivering, and Alex hadn't even noticed. The words on the paper ceased to exist for a moment for him; he looked over at the man knelt next to him, all black and white pinstripes and makeup and tendrils of curly hair falling into a face set with determination. He could feel him trembling.

"You want my cape?" Even as he was asking, he was tugging at the velcro clasp on it. "Here, take my cape."

"What?" John's eyes widened a little. "No, Alex, it's your costume, you don't want-"

"The cape isn't the whole costume, I've still got all this," he gestured to the black ensemble beneath. "Here."

"Alex-"

"I _insist_ ," he retorted, swinging the cape around John before he could complain any further. He fastened the clasp and sat back on his heels to admire his handiwork. "There. It's not very heavy but it might help."

"So, I'm-" A gust of wind blew the flimsy collar into his face and he spluttered. "I'm Jack Skellington, Pumpkin Vampire now or something?"

"Does a skeleton vampire still need blood, I wonder?" Alex tapped his cheek thoughtfully. "I mean, they were really upset when they thought Jack died, but if he was already _dead_ , how could he die again?"

"Oh, _please_ don't analyse your favourite movies again. _Please_." John's head tipped back on his shoulders for a brief moment, before he waved the paper clue Alex had left him holding. "Don't you think janitor's closet?"

"For the... yes! Of course! Well done, John!" Now he did lean over, pecking a quick kiss against his cheek before pulling away, pulling them both back to their feet. "C'mon, let's get back inside where it's warmer."

‘Janitor's closet’ did beg the question of _which_ janitor's closet, but John suggested that they take it one by one until they found what they were looking for. Which Alex didn't know, how were they going to find a clue in a closet? But he was _going_ to, if only to show up Thomas Jefferson and impress John.

"Maybe this one," John said, grabbing the doorknob. "I hope it's this one. Or we've really been barking up the wrong tree and this is all a waste of time."

"Well, if _we're_ confused, you know everyone else has to be, too."

"Or they're all just that much smarter than us."

"Not possible!"

John huffed a laugh, reaching for the string to pull on the light. "Not probable."

"We're the most intelligent people here, John! We'll find that clue. Just you wait!"

" _Now!_ " The unfamiliar voice startled them both; they spun around to look out the doorway, caught a glimpse of Thomas Jefferson's zombie makeup and then the door to the closet slammed shut.

"Hey!"

"Thomas!"

Alex jerked on the door handle. "Jefferson, let us _out_! Unlock the door!"

Thomas's laughter reached them through the wooden door, and then silence, save the pounding bass of the music in the very far distance.

"Thomas! What- _shit_ -"

There was a rustle and a clang, and Alex turned back to John in time to see a varying amount of stuff being tugged off of the shelf by John's cape. "John? Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm- fine." He tugged the cape around, wiggling his fingers through a tear in the fabric. "But your cape's not."

God, that Jefferson. Alex abandoned the locked door and turned the few inches back to John, tugging the cape out of his hands. "I don't care, as long as you're fine. Anyway, we're locked in. Don't suppose you have a paperclip stuck in that costume somewhere."

"You don't know how to do that anyway."

"I could learn," he retaliated.

John was looking around the closet. "Sure." He took a step back and bumped into the sink, wincing a little.

"Really." Alex leaned back against the door. "Hang on, I'll call Laf."

"He probably won't answer. He was already drunk before the game started." He tugged on the collar and fumbled for the clasp. "If he does, you'll just get gibberish."

"Ugh, straight to voicemail. Dammit, Laf. Okay, down the contacts list. Let's start with Angelica-" He'd just tapped Angelica's name in the list and was about to press the speaker on when he noticed John's breathing. A little too loud, a little too fast. "John?"

"No, I'm fine."

He hadn't asked. Alex ended the call to Angelica before it could ring through. "John. John, are you claustrophobic?"

"No!" John flinched, fingers fumbling against the cape. "I'm not, I'm really not-"

"Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey." He stepped forward, pulling it away from him. It pooled onto the floor uselessly, and Hamilton took John's shoulders. "John, it's okay. Just breathe." He was tugging at that bat bow tie while he spoke. "I didn't know you were claustrophobic."

"I'm _not_." Alex gave him a look, and John took a deep breath. "I'm not," he repeated. "I just don't... like feeling trapped. Not really the same thing, is it?"

"Umm... no, I guess not."

John huffed out another breath, pushing Alex's hands away from him. "You can stop undressing me, Alex."

"Really?" Alex poked the centre of Lauren's forehead. "I thought we were just getting to the good part."

John laughed weakly, slumping back to sit against the edge of the sink. "God, you're horrible." He swept his hand across his forehead and sighed. "Sorry." It sounded like he had to unstick his tongue from the roof of his mouth to say it.

"What are you apologising for?" Alex leaned back against the sink, too. "It's not your fault, it's Thomas Jefferson's..." he muttered, glancing at the door. He was gonna kill him. Or at least, fill his room with as many ping pong balls he could get his hands on. He was going to get back at him. _And_ they were going to lose the scavenger hunt now. _Damn_.

"This really was a waste of time," John muttered. His shoulder pressed against Alex's again. He wasn't shivering any longer.

Alex turned to look at him, contemplating his Jack Skellington get-up and the annoyed, barely there trapped look haunting his eyes. Alex wondered if there was a reason for that. Maybe he should ask. But maybe not now. Maybe when they were both sober. "I don't know."

"Huh?"

"Maybe not a whole waste," Hamilton said, and leaned over to kiss him.

John inhaled against his lips and returned the kiss just as enthusiastically. If there was a way to erase his momentary panic, this would work.

Kissing John was unlike kissing anyone else; he tasted like the party's Hawaiian punch and alcohol, the faintest smell of gunpowder and face paint. Alex had kissed his fair share of princes and princesses, to be sure. But none of them felt the exact way that John did. The closest that he'd come to feeling this way had been with Eliza, but it hadn't lasted. Him and John? They were never going to be apart. (Maybe that was a little unrealistic, but he didn't care. He'd make sure it was certain.)

This _angle_. Alex gripped John's arms, pulling him away from the janitor's sink. And then he sank down on the space of floor that wasn't packed full of equipment, pulling him into his lap. There. Much better. He could kiss him much easier. He swept a hand along his arm, up to curve around the back of his neck, and pressed more firmly into the kiss.

"Alex..."

"Hmmm?"

"Janitor's closet... really...?"

"Hey, it could be worse." He guided the kisses down his jaw, ignoring the way John's skin felt strange over the make-up.

"I've got a mop bucket jamming into my side."

Alex pressed a kiss against his neck. "It could be worse," he repeated, and paused with his lips over the pulse point in his neck. "Hey, John."

"What?"

"You know what vampires like?"

"Oh, God-" John's breath hitched as Alex bit down on his neck. His hands fluttered against Alex's sides for a moment before they swung up, tugging at the elastic band holding his hair back in the ponytail. "Alexander."

Alex laughed against his neck, working his skin between lips and teeth, bites and kisses and the swipe of his tongue over the afflicted area. Could he count the ways he loved how John said his name? He _couldn't_. Just as he could not count the ways that he loved John's hands in his hair as it tumbled down around his shoulders, the pinpricks of sensation as John's nails scraped his scalp.

" _Alex_."

He pulled away, rubbing his lips. "Yeah?" John's eyes were gleaming. His ears were red. Alex wondered if the look in his eyes was anywhere near the same as the look in John's. He hoped.

" _Call_ someone," John laughed, clapping his hand against the blossoming bruise on his neck. "Call Angelica, I want out of here."

Alex pressed his phone into John's hand and went back to peppering kisses along his face and neck. Angelica _did_ answer, and must have given John a little ultimatum ( _"No, it's not_ Alex's _fault, you can blame Thomas- Angelica_ please _\- Alex, stop that - no, we're_ not _! Yes... yeah, second or third, I lost track. Yeah. Yeah, I know. Thanks."_ ). He shoved his phone back against his chest. "Alex, touch me like that again when I'm on the phone-"

"Is that a challenge?"

"No!"

Alex chuckled, leaning forward to rest his forehead against John's. "Is Angie coming to rescue us?"

"Yeah."

"Good. Maybe we'll still have a chance on this scavenger hunt, after all. Or long enough to get back to Thomas's room and put corn syrup blood in his bed." He relished in the way that John's shoulders shook with laughter as he draped his arms around his neck. "Or I'll just talk shit about him in the school newspaper."

"Let me know if you need help."

"Of course."

Yes, Alexander loved Halloween. He loved just about any holiday that he could make a fuss about; Halloween, Christmas, and birthdays were his favourite. But for a moment, as John traced his fingers along Alex's spine and Alex stared into his eyes, he wished John _wasn't_ in costume. He wished he could see the freckled, flushed cheeks, brush his finger against his smooth skin without white make-up coming off on his hands or fingers or lips. He wished he could take John's hair down without him having to fight it back up. He wished they were tucked in his dorm instead of a janitor's closet.

He wanted to take his face in his hands and kiss him. But seeing as how he didn't want his hand prints on John's face, he settled with taking his hands and kissing him softly instead.

When the closet door flew open, they both jumped. Alex jerked away from biting at John's lip; John's hand flittered to pull his collar over the angry looking hickey on his neck.

"We weren't doing anything, I swear!" Alex bounced up after John scrambled off his lap, looking at Angelica and Herc. "Wait, you didn't get the key from Thomas?"

"I just kicked it open," Herc said, rolling his eyes. "Do you think we got the key? Jeez. I'm goin' back to the party!"

"Thanks, Herc! Angelica." Alex waved John out, collecting his cape and John's bow tie. "I'm glad someone answered their phone, I tried Laf first but then John and I started talking."

Angelica raised a singular eyebrow, looking between Alexander and John. "Talking?"

"Yeah, what else-"

"John," Angelica interrupted, "you've got Alexander's fake blood all over your face."

"What!" John's hand flew to his face; Alex glanced over to see that Angelica was right. He touched his own face to feel for the blood he'd had smeared around his mouth. His face was still sticky, but he'd lost enough of it while kissing John, evidently. "Alex!"

"Sorry!" He licked his thumb, taking a step towards him. "Hang on, I'll-"

"No!" John caught his hand and held onto it tightly. "Don't you dare!"

"Fine, you can go to the bathroom and clean up." He leaned in a little closer. "Or we can continue our make out session there."

"No," John repeated. His ears were still red. "I am gonna go to the bathroom, though. Wait for me?"

"I'll get us more drinks and meet up with you."

"Good." John pulled away haltingly, and started trying to get the blood from his face himself as he stumbled away.

Alexander watched him go fondly before turning back to Angelica. "Seriously, thanks. What would I do without you?" he asked, holding out his hand to her.

She huffed a laugh, taking it. "I expect you would make out with your boyfriend in the closet, wouldn't you?"

Alex flashed her a sly smile. "For a little bit, yeah."

"Are you _sure_ you didn't get locked in there on purpose?" she asked critically. Her eyes were teasing.

"I didn't, I swear. I wouldn't do that to him." Thinking back to that moment of frantic breathing, of tugging at the cape and tie, the way John had shivered as Alex stood pressed next to him. "I _will_ , however, do something equally as evil to Thomas. Or worse. Nobody's starting shit with me and John."

"Alexander." Angelica sighed, a soft smile pulling at her lips. "What are you planning now?"

"You never know." Alex grinned, swung his cape back around him and fastened it beneath his chin. "It _is_ Halloween, after all."

 


End file.
